Reykjavik: Northern Lights Tour w/Pro Photos – Small Group

The best part of this Northern Lights tour is that the evening does not depend on the aurora appearing on cue. Your guide keeps hunting for clear skies, while you can warm up with hot chocolate, put on Viking gear, and have professional photos taken. Guides including Emil, Kolbeinn, Tomas, Kobe, and BG are known for staying patient when the forecast looks poor.

I like the 18-person maximum, since a small minibus can reach places that large coaches cannot. I also like the free retries until you see the lights, a real help when Icelandic weather closes in. The main drawback is simple: the van can feel cramped, and no operator can guarantee an aurora sighting on one particular night.

Key points to know

• Small minibus, maximum 18 people: More personal than a large coach, with access to smaller viewing areas.
• Professional night photography: High-spec cameras capture portraits with the aurora, and guides make time for everyone.
• Viking costumes and replica weapons: A playful extra that gives the waiting time a purpose.
• Free retries until you see the lights: You can rebook without charge if the aurora does not appear.
• Hot chocolate and gingerbread: Warm refreshments are served during the cold wait.
• Four hours from $148: A good fit if you value photos, persistence, and a small group over the lowest price.

What the four-hour aurora hunt is really like

This is not a simple drive to one lookout point, followed by a quick photo stop. It is a moving search shaped by cloud cover, darkness, wind, and the aurora forecast. Your guide may stop once, move to another area, or drive well beyond Reykjavík if the conditions offer a better chance.

The tour lasts about four hours, though guides have sometimes stayed out longer when the lights were close. That persistence matters. The aurora can appear weakly, fade, then return much stronger later in the night.

You should think of the trip as part nature show, part night drive, and part photo session. If the sky stays stubbornly cloudy, the Viking costumes and warm drinks keep the evening from becoming four hours of standing around in silence.

Pickup around Reykjavík and the small-group advantage

Pickup is offered at 16 listed locations around Reykjavík, including Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík City Hall, the Reykjavík Bus Terminal, several central bus stops, and hotels such as Hilton Reykjavík Nordica, Hotel Ísland, Hotel Klettur, and Icelandair Hotel Reykjavík Natura.

The driver shouts your name at the pickup point. That is a small but useful detail, especially at a busy bus stop where several operators may be loading at once. Check your exact location carefully, since Reykjavík hotel pickups often use designated bus stops rather than the hotel entrance.

The minibus holds no more than 18 people. That does not mean you will have huge amounts of personal space, particularly after everyone has dressed for an Icelandic night. One clear weakness is storage for extra layers. Bring warm clothing, but keep your spare items compact.

The smaller vehicle is valuable for another reason. A large coach needs a broad stopping area and tends to gather with other buses. This minibus can reach quieter spots and smaller roads, though the exact route changes with the weather and the guide’s judgment.

Chasing clear skies beyond the city lights

The city glow around Reykjavík can weaken an aurora display, so the goal is to get away from artificial light. Your guide watches the cloud cover and chooses a viewing area with open sky. Sometimes the aurora appears almost immediately after leaving the city. Other nights require a longer search.

Several successful outings have involved drives far from Reykjavík, including journeys toward Seljalandsfoss and areas more than two hours away. That is not a promised route, and you should not book this tour expecting a particular waterfall or landmark. The destination is chosen for the sky, not for a fixed sightseeing schedule.

This approach can produce a better show, but it also creates tradeoffs. More driving means less time standing beneath the lights. Roads can be icy or foggy, and the return journey may be late. The drivers have been praised for careful handling in difficult conditions, but you should still wear proper shoes and bring warm layers.

At the stop, you may spend time outside watching the sky, then return to the heated minibus. Some guides keep the vehicle warm while people wait. That simple comfort can make a big difference when the temperature drops and the aurora decides to take its time.

Viking costumes turn waiting time into part of the fun

Aurora Viking carries museum-sourced Viking outfits and replica weapons for use during the outing. You can dress up for photographs with the night sky behind you, and the guides may use the equipment to create portraits while everyone waits for the aurora.

This is more than a quick souvenir gimmick. Northern Lights hunting involves plenty of uncertainty. You may arrive under cloud, wait in darkness, and watch the guide check conditions again and again. The Viking activity gives you something social and lighthearted to do during that pause.

The photographs can be serious, funny, or a little awkward. That is part of the charm. Some pictures look polished, while others become memorable because the costume, pose, or lighting went slightly wrong. Families and groups who enjoy playful photos will get more from this feature than people seeking a quiet, purely scenic outing.

The replica weapons are for posing and handling, not for any historical demonstration. The tour does provide some background on Viking connections with the Northern Lights, but this is not a museum tour or a detailed archaeology lesson.

Professional photos are a major part of the value

Taking a good aurora photograph is difficult. A phone may record a green glow, but it will not necessarily produce a flattering portrait of you standing beneath it. Night photography requires a steady camera, careful exposure, and enough light on the subject without washing out the sky.

The tour uses high-spec cameras and includes the guide as photographer. Guides such as Tomas, Emil, Kobe, and BG have been praised for giving each person time in front of the camera, repositioning the equipment, and helping groups get more than one useful image. Photos have also been sent by email after outings.

Do not assume that every picture will look identical. The final result depends on cloud, aurora strength, darkness, wind, and how long the lights remain visible. Still, included photography adds real value to the $148 price. A separate private aurora photo session could cost much more, while an ordinary bus tour may leave you trying to balance a phone against a rock.

The guide’s attention matters here. It is easy for one confident person to take several turns while someone else leaves without a photograph. The better approach is a fair rotation, and this tour has made that part of the experience a clear priority.

Hot chocolate, cookies, and the practical comfort factor

Hot chocolate and cookies or gingerbread are included. The hot chocolate has been described as homemade, and it is served when the cold begins to set in. You may also find blankets on the bus during some outings.

These are modest touches, but they improve the basic rhythm of the night. You can watch the sky, take photos, return to the vehicle, warm up, and head outside again. That is far more comfortable than standing in one place for an hour with frozen fingers.

Bring your own warm clothing anyway. The included drink is not a substitute for a winter coat, gloves, a hat, and sturdy footwear. The tour information specifically asks you to dress warmly, and that advice should be taken seriously.

Children must be at least seven years old. The Viking dress-up can make the outing appealing to older children, and one guide made a special effort to include a nine-year-old on a family booking. Still, the late timing, cold, and long periods of waiting may not suit every child.

The free retry policy reduces the risk

The aurora is not predictable with useful accuracy. A strong forecast can fail because clouds arrive, while a poor forecast can surprise you with a brief display. This tour’s strongest safety net is the promise of unlimited free retries until you see the lights.

If your first night fails, you can join again without paying another tour fee. Several outings were rescheduled after bad weather, and communication about changing dates was described as straightforward. This policy is especially useful if you have more than one night in Reykjavík.

The policy has limits. It does not create extra nights in your schedule. If you are leaving Iceland the next morning, a free retry has little practical value. And the tour does not provide a refund simply because the aurora fails to appear. Once you have joined, you need to use the retry option instead.

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the scheduled outing for a full refund, according to the booking terms. After that point, weather-related disappointment is handled through rebooking rather than cash repayment.

Is $148 a fair price?

At $148 per person, this is not Reykjavík’s cheapest Northern Lights option. You are paying for a small group, hotel-area pickup and drop-off, a guide, a photographer, Viking costumes, replica weapons, hot chocolate, cookies, and the free retry policy.

The value improves if you care about photographs. A basic bus outing may get you to dark skies, but you will still need to create your own portraits. Here, the guide makes photography part of the service and works to give everyone a proper turn.

The price also makes more sense if you have limited time. A failed first attempt is frustrating when you have only one evening, but the retry option gives you a second chance if your schedule allows. If you have several nights and are happy to photograph the sky yourself, a lower-priced group tour might be enough.

The small group is another reason to pay more. You should not expect a private tour, but 18 people is easier to manage than a full coach. You can ask questions, get a fair chance at the camera, and spend less time waiting for a large crowd to board.

Who should book this tour

I would choose this outing if your priority is a well-organized attempt to see the aurora, backed by a practical retry policy. It suits first-time visitors who want help with the photography as much as the sky watching.

Families with children aged seven and over may enjoy the costumes and cookies, though the late night and cold conditions require patience. Couples and friends will appreciate having portraits rather than only distant streaks of green in their phone galleries.

This is also a good pick for anyone who has already had a disappointing aurora outing. The guides have shown a willingness to change locations, wait longer, and keep looking when another operator might call it a night.

I would hesitate if you dislike sitting in a compact van, have only one free evening, or want a fixed sightseeing route. The tour may drive a long way, stop in darkness, and spend much of the night waiting for nature to cooperate.

Final call: book it for persistence and photographs

Book this tour if you want more than transportation to a dark field. The strongest combination is the small minibus, guides who keep hunting for clear skies, professional portraits, and free retries when the first attempt fails.

Just keep your expectations sensible. No guide can order the aurora into the sky, and the minibus may feel tight once everyone brings winter layers. But if you have room in your itinerary for a retry and value a personal photo session, the $148 cost is reasonable for the amount included.

FAQ

How long does the Northern Lights tour last?

The tour lasts four hours, although guides may continue searching when the aurora appears late or conditions improve.

How many people can join the minibus?

The small-group minibus has a maximum capacity of 18 people.

What is included in the price?

The tour includes pickup and drop-off, an English-speaking guide and photographer, Viking costumes, replica Viking weapons, hot chocolate, and cookies.

Are professional photos included?

Yes. The tour uses high-spec cameras to take night portraits and Northern Lights photographs. Photos have been sent to participants by email after the outing.

What happens if the aurora does not appear?

You can join the tour again for free until you see the Northern Lights. There is no refund simply because the aurora was not visible on your original outing.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the tour for a full refund. Once you join the tour, the stated policy provides a free retry rather than a refund if the lights do not appear.

Where does pickup take place?

Pickup is available at 16 listed locations around Reykjavík, including selected hotels, central bus stops, Hallgrímskirkja, City Hall, and the Reykjavík Bus Terminal.

How do I identify the pickup driver?

The driver will call out your name at the pickup location.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes. The live guide language is English.

Can children join the tour?

Children must be at least seven years old. Warm clothing is required for everyone.